


Necessary Discussion

by wisia



Series: Necessary Discussions & Conversations [1]
Category: DCU
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2014-09-07
Packaged: 2017-12-13 17:35:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/826960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisia/pseuds/wisia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Damian confronts Tim several years later after Tim leaves his position as tutor to the Wayne household.</p><p>[Chapters reordered for timeline purposes.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cornflakepizza](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cornflakepizza/gifts).



> For Cor. Happy early birthday. Maybe it be the best for you. <3
> 
> Notes: This is an AU set around the 1800s or 1900s. I didn't really decide. It's arbitrary. Anyway, background info: Tim was a tutor to Damian, and he left his position as tutor. Some years later, Damian confronts him.
> 
> And I felt like I was writing a trashy romance novel. Trust me, it was a lot more melodramatic and stuff before I edited it out.
> 
> Also, I do not apologize for the ending. .___.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Cor. A sort of prequel to a previous fic also written for her.

The wind was chilly, but Damian didn’t mind. He stood outside of the manor, watching the far gates. His eyes were intense as he waited for a tall thin figure to pass through the iron. He couldn’t believe the nerve of his father. Hiring a tutor? As if he needed one. Damian smiled when he heard a yelp before he saw Timothy Drake come into the view.

“What a lovely sound,” Damian murmured to the wind and headed back inside where the fire chased away the cold. He settled himself down and waved to Pennyworth to fetch him a glass of mulled wine. It would take at least fifteen minutes for Drake to cross the rather large yard before reaching the manor. If he was walking fast enough anyway.

“Mister Timothy!” Damian heard Alfred exclaimed. “You’re soaking well. What happened?”

“Nothing to worry about. Just ran into a bit of trouble.”

Damian looked down at the gold pocket watch he received from his father. Ah, fourteen minutes. He had underestimated how the cold probably hastened Drake’s speed. He had thought the opposite and it would have slowed the man down. He held back his smile as Pennyworth gestured Drake in before the fire with a blanket over his shoulder.

“You are early,” Damian remarked.

“Well, I had needs to,” Drake said, suppressing a shiver. He eyed Damian with a suspicious look. “I found myself drenched in water on the way over.”

“Did you trip?” Damian inquired and sipped his wine. It was delicious as the indignant look on Drake’s face.

“As if I would trip,” Drake said.

“Tt,” Damian ticked. “You do seem to be the clumsy sort. Well, go home. I do not need your service today. Or at all.”

He waved at the door. “Have Pennyworth give you something warm to drink before you go.”

“I’m not going,” Drake said stiffly. He straightened his back, the blanket dropping behind him onto the floor with a soft thud.

“It doesn’t matter what tricks you play. I am your tutor. I will not lose your father’s trust, and you will listen to me.”

“I don’t need—“

“Yes, you do.” Drake said firmly. “Now, did you read the chapters I assign you?”

Damian looked at him crossly. “I did not.”

“Well, then,” Drake said lightly. “I think it’s time for a little quiz to see how much you actually know without studying and without me.”

Damian felt vindicated when Drake sneezed multiple times in the next hour.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian is displeased with Todd's interaction with Drake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For joannneze:
> 
> Well, here it is. This is still mainly in Damian’s POV. I will do one tomorrow or something that focuses directly on Jason and Dick’s POV. Because the JayDick here is so slight but it’s a good lead into what they’re doing. 
> 
> Also, I wanted to made Jason’s dialogue more coarse and rough to suit his background of being a street kid, but I couldn’t really manage considering the time period. At best I figure that Jason would speak more or less properly depending on the company because he was raised in the Wayne manor after all. So, I only made him hint at being vulgar-ish? I will try to make him sound more Jason when I write that JayDick scene.

Damian wouldn’t say that he was irritated. Far from it. If he had to choose a word then perplexed and puzzled might be better. Even astonishment would be a fine choice. That might have described Damian’s strange feelings whenever he happened to see Todd and Drake…interacting. It was an unnatural friend—alliance. Unbecoming for Drake’s station.

“You again?” Damian sniffed and entered the room with slow measured steps. Todd smirked at him. He was sitting close to Drake, sprawled on the couch like the unmannered street urchin he was when father found him.

“Disappointed?” Todd asked. “You’ll have to take it up with Alfred.”

Damian pressed his lips tightly together. No one would dare say anything. If Pennyworth wished for Todd to be here then there was nothing Damian could do. Not for lack of trying, but Pennyworth was a force to be reckoned with. It only smarted a little that Damian failed to recognize the worth in the elder man when he first came to live at Wayne Manor.

 “No,” Damian replied shortly, eyes slipping from Todd’s ignorant face over to Drake’s. “You are interrupting my education.”

It didn’t take more than a few seconds for him to drop his books heavily on the table. The noise was deafening and was even more catching in the silence that ensued.

“Come, Drake. What is my father paying you for?”

“Teaching you manners is a start,” Drake said a little crossly but before he could get up Todd interrupted.

“Oh, I don’t know. Perhaps I could give you a little lesson. I am excellent with literature,” Todd retorted and reached across Drake’s lap. The action put him in a considerable intimate proximity with Drake.

“Jason!” Drake reprimanded, cheeks slightly flushed and Todd impudently patted him on his thigh in apology.

“Shush,” Todd said and cracked open his book. “Where are you today, Tim? I can do all the classics.”

“You are disgracing yourself,” Damian bit out. They looked far too cozy, and it really wasn’t conductive toward his studies. Not if he was to take over Wayne Manor one day.

“As if I care about that. Besides, I only want to help,” Todd replied and began to read out loud.

“Todd! Get out!”

“That is actually an excellent idea,” Drake said quietly. “Jason is wonderful with the classics and know far more than me.”

“What?” Damian looked at Drake in disbelief. “You would entrust my education to him?”

Todd slung an arm around Drake’s shoulders. “What a wise choice.”

“Tt,” Damian sounded in disgust. “I will complain to father. This is unacceptable.”

“Your father trusts me to teach you as I see fit,” Drake said sharply. “If my knowledge lacks then it must be made up in other ways. Admittedly, it would also be a nice change of pace considering how you usually critique my methods of teaching. Now, sit down.”

The look in Drake’s eye made Damian stow away his argument.

“Fine,” Damian said sourly. “If I failed I know who to blame.”

“You cheeky little brat,” Todd said. “Now, come here to Brother Jason. I shall teach you the ways of words and thus the ways of men and women.”

Damian was pleased when Drake smacked Todd over the head.

 “Ow! Tim!”

“He’s too young for that!”

Ah, Damian thought suddenly. There was an idea for getting rid of Todd’s presence during his education.

\--------

“Was Jason not here?” Drake asked in confusion. Damian kept his expression even.

“He was,” Damian answered and gesture to the books on the table. “But he left these for you.”

“Where did he go?” Drake continued as he strode over to the stack to look through them. “I could have sworn he said he had the afternoon free. He had some ideas about Chaucer that I think would be enlightening for you.”

Damian shrugged, a little carelessly. “Grayson said he had a matter that needed Todd’s attention. I do not think they will be back till late.”

In fact, they wouldn’t be back till the next day. Damian made sure of it when he spoke to Grayson. It was just as well because Damian was tired of Grayson and Todd mooning over each other. If it kept Jason away that was only an unexpected benefit.

“Oh,” Drake said, sounding disappointed. Damian scowled openly.

“Are you going to lecture or not? If not, I have better things to do with my time than sitting here as you—“

“Sit down and do not move an inch.”

“Tt,” but Damian remained in his seat. “Then speak.”

“A quiz,” Drake announced. Damian bristled but at least Drake’s attention was firmly occupied on his education and not wasted on Todd’s idiocy.


	3. Chapter 3

 

                "Why are you here, Damian?" Tim stood up in one fluid motion while he snapped the book he was reading shut with one hand. He had been in the study reading when the butler came in announcing that there was a guest at the door. Tim wanted to turn Damian away, but there would be hell to pay if Jack Drake knew he shooed away the son of one of the wealthiest man in the country.

                "Was my intentions not clear?" Damian asked. He hadn't move an inch from the door where the butler had introduced him and left. His eyes were dark and unreadable as they strolled up and down Tim's form. Assessing and cataloging what changed in his absence. Tim fought the urge to cross his arms to shield himself. Instead, he put the book in his hand down on the three legged side small table. The sound was sharp, striking the room. Damian didn't flinch, but Tim knew he took note. Subtlety worked best with him.

                "We have discussed this," Tim said lightly. "Your intentions are negated."

                "Tt." Damian's verbal tic stuttered out in answer, and Tim was unimpressed with how fond he had grown of that sound.

                "Incorrect," Damian declared. "You decided on your own. We did not discuss anything."

                Tim's smile was blandly polite. "Sometimes a discussion isn't necessary."

                He expected Damian to confront him, but he didn't imagine it would be so long. It was well over four years ago.

                "It was necessary in this case," Damian returned.

                "Damian," Tim said, and the flames in the fireplace left of him crackled warningly in accordance with his mood. "I believe it will be in your interest to leave. There's nothing further for us to speak about."

                "Untrue," Damian said and in two strides entered Tim's personal space. He jabbed a finger hard at Tim's chest. "I told you what my feelings are, and you left. I can understand if your feelings do not coincide with mine. I can understand if you hate me, but you didn't give me an answer."

                "I didn't think one was needed." Tim took a step back as he pushed away Damian's finger. "It's clear enough I only had one choice."

                "You didn't,"  and Damian's hand closed in on his wrist, tugging him forward.

                "What the hell? Let me go." Tim snarled, but Damian's grip was strong.

                "Not until you give me an answer, even if it is rejection."

               "Damian, your father will most likely have me castrated and hung if they heard this," Tim tried. He glared at Damian, but the grip on his wrist wasn't loosen one bit. Tim wondered if he could elbow him hard in the stomach, but Damian would catch him if he ran. He hadn't much exercise the past few years.

                "My father isn't here," Damian said empathetically. "And if he was, I do not think he'd mind. He liked you very much, I hope you know."

                "Lies," Tim snorted. "I was merely convenient . The Drake boy. Smart and lonesome. He'll make a good tutor for my son."

                Tim winced as Damian's grip tightened to a painful level. "Do not speak about my father like that. He genuinely cared for you."

                "Yes," Tim snapped. "When I proved him alive and well. And then he made me your tutor."

                "Is that why?" Damian asked suddenly. "Is that why you left? Because you couldn't stand tutoring a boy half your age?"

                "Hardly," Tim scoffed and reached over to pinch Damian. Damian bit back a curse as he let go. Tim rubbed his wrist. It was all red now, Damian's fingers clearly marked into it. The bruises would be a pain to cover up. "You know as well as I do that I like you by the end of the first year."

                "Then why? I told you I want you."

                "Because it isn't right." Tim shook his head.

                " And no. Be quiet," Tim ordered when Damian opened his mouth to disagree. "I don't care if men like other men. It's about propriety. You were my student, and you are much younger than me. There is no world where it is proper for a tutor to have his pupil as anything other than that."

                "I am of age now," Damian said and arched an eyebrow at Tim in defiance. "If that was the only problem."

                "Ugh," Tim groaned. "Don't be stupid. Just go. I cannot answer your feelings."

                "Does that mean you do care for me in some ways?" Damian asked because, of course, he would pick up on what Tim didn't say. "You have only objected to my age and role which are both negligible now."

                "Damian," Tim said exasperated. "I am a locked man. Engaged."

                Damian's eyes narrowed. "You lie. I know you have broke your engagement with Miss Brown."

                "That," and Tim was at a loss for words.

                "Honestly, what are you so afraid of?" Damian continued. "If you are concerned about society, our wealth combined are more than enough to silence anyone."

                "I still think it's improper," Tim said. "It makes me feel so immoral."

                He rubbed his temple, a headache growing. Tim could admit that all the problems could be easily solved, some of them having now disappeared through time. Still, it was difficult to shake off the feeling that he would be committing some hideous crime. If anything, Tim was sure Richard would come after him for horrific designs on his younger brother.

                "I'm sorry," Damian said and took Tim's hand in his. Tim's breath caught as Damian carefully traced the hurt he left in Tim's wrist. "I did not mean to harm you."

                "I know," Tim said softly. He sighed heavily. "I do...I do want, but--"

                "Do you think you're not allowed happiness?" Damian pressed a feather light kiss to Tim's wrist. "You have always denied yourself the things you want. I remember."

                "Well...I." Tim sucked in a deep breath. He wouldn't think about it. He tilted his head up and kissed Damian carefully. "I can promise nothing."

                "I do not ask for it," Damian responded. "I will take what you can give."

 

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[And they got together and lived happily ever after because wisia got lazy on writing a better ending even with Ran prompting her.]


End file.
